APEC agrees to restart WTO talks

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-16-2006 18:47

Special Report:   Hu visits 4 Asian nations

Ministers and representatives from APEC members have wrapped up their two-day gathering in Hanoi. They have agreed to resume WTO negotiations and facilitate trade in the region. They also reached consensus on APEC's counter-terrorism tasks.

The 18th APEC Joint Ministerial Meeting approved the Hanoi Action Plan to implement the Busan Roadmap towards the Bogor Goals.

The plan will be submitted to the APEC Informal Leaders Meeting for adoption this weekend. It outlines concrete actions for member economies to boost free trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region.

They also passed a draft joint statement, calling for the early resumption of the Doha Round of trade talks.

In the draft, the ministers and representatives also emphasized the World Trade Organization's capability to help APEC enable ITS developing member economies to apply to the WTO and fully participate in negotiations.

The APEC Counter-Terrorism Task Force said it would focus on aviation security next year, specifically aiming to minimize terrorism risks.

APEC is developing initiatives to deal with other terrorist threats as well, looking at issues like protecting the food supply and preventing the misuse of financial systems by terrorists.

 

Editor:Sun Luying